Can-opener.



(No lodel.)

H. MGCLEARY.

CAN OPENER. (Application Bled Apr. 27, 1900.)

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UNiTED STATES ATENT Fierce.

HARRY MCCLEARY, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

CAN-OPEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,243, dated February 5, 1901.

Application iiled April 27, 1900. Serial No. 14,645. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY MOOLEARY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mobile, in the county of Mobile and State of Alahama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in can-openers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of can-openers and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive one capable of rapidly opening circular and square cans without forcing the severed portion into the body of the can and adapted When not in use to lie longitudinally of the handle to avoid interfering with the use of any other devices that might be mounted on the handle.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a can-opener constructed in' accordancewith this invention; Fig. 2 is a trans-Y verse sectional view of the can-opener. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of the sliding guide which forms one of the jaws of the canopener. Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken longitudinally of the can-opener.

Like numerals of reference designate correspending parts'in all the igures of the drawings.

1 designates a handle provided at the end 14 with a longitudinal recess 15, in which is secured the shank 16 of a can-opener blade 17. The end 14 of the handle and the shank of the blade 17 are preforated for the reception of rivets 18 or other suitable fastening devices, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings. The can-opening blade 17 is provided with an outer cutting edge 19 and is pointed,las clearly shown in Fig. l, and it is provided at its inner edge with an extension or ear 20, located adjacent to the end 14 of the handle and pivoted between a pair of ears 2l of the guide 21a by means of a rivet 22 or other suitable fastend ing device, which passes through registering perforations of the parts. The cutting edge 19 of the blade 17 is preferably provided with teeth 23, and the inner end of the guide is enlarged adjacent to the ears and is provided with a slot or bifurcation 24, and it has a straight inner edge 25, which cooperates with the blade. The guide is provided at its outer side with a depending longitudinal flange 26, and it has front and rear lugs 27 and 28, which are adapted to fit against the side of a can. The lower face 29 of the guide is recessed, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, to provide a cutting edge to coperate with the blade 17, so that the device will operate similar to a pair of shears.

lVhen the can-opener is employed on a round can, the ange 26, which is curved at its inner face, fits against the sides of the can, the edge of the latter being received within the recess of the lower face of the guide; but when the can-opener operates on a square can the straight sides of the same t against the lugs at the ends of the flange 26. The handle and the blade 17 form a lever which is oscillated to sever the top of the can from the sides, and as the knife Works upward in cutting it will be apparent that the severed portion of the top will not be forced into the body of the can. The guide is adapted to move rapidly around the edges of the can, and it will be apparent that the latter may be quickly opened. The inner enlarged portion of the guide is approximately L-shaped, and as the blade is pivoted to the said guide at the inner end thereof the guide is adapted to lie normally longitudinally of the blade, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, so that it will be out of the way and not interfere with the use of any other devices that may be mounted on the handle.

What is claimed is- A device of lthe class described comprising a guide provided with a depending longitudinal flange curved to conform to the configuration of a can, said guide being provided with an inner straight edge 25, and having an In testimony that claim the foregoing as L-shaped portion at its inner end forming a my own I have hereto affixed my signature in slot, and a handle provided With a blade pivthe presence of two Witnesses.

oted to the guide at the L-shaped portion HARRY MCGLEARY. 5 thereof, whereby the guide is adapted to lie Witnesses:

normally longitudinally of the blade, sub- JOHN H. HARRIS,

stantially as described. CHARLES K. CRoFTs. 

